Open ocean marking usually relies on some sort of a buoyant marker or flares or, in case of an emergency, radio frequency transmitters that are either buoyed to the surface or could be suspended from a balloon. Since weather conditions play an important part in the effectiveness of most of the passive location markers, they usually are of marginal effectiveness, unless search and rescue craft are first vectored into an area where a marine disaster is thought to have occurred. Furthermore, active markers such as radio transmitter's, blinking lights and the like can exhaust a self contained power source, may not operate properly when swamped by high seas states, and are not covert. Surface slicks have been used to calm surface waters and some have suggested the use of radar to detect these slicks. However, the effectiveness of radar to locate these slicks is questionable in dead calm weather conditions.
Thus, a continuing need exists in the state-of-the-art for a passive all weather location marker that is functional both day and night to enable an optional visual, radar and IR detection so that a subsequent recovery or rescue of disaster victims can occur.